Process of removing suspended solids in gases.



S. PEACOCK.

PROCESS OF REMOVING SUSPENDED SOLIDS IN GASES.

APPLICATION FILED JAN. 26. I9I6.

Patented June 4, 1918.

Swmzwl Peacock, 6y I abhor/I m SAMUEL PEACOCK, OF PHILADELPHIA. PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR' T0 HASLUP & PEAGOCK, INC., OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

PROCESS OF REMOVING SUSPENDED SOLIDS IN GASES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. June 4, 1918.

Application filed January 26, 1916. Serial N 0. 74,432.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL PEACOCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Processes of Removing Suspended Solids in Gases; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to a process of re moving suspended solids in gases while offecting the hydration of and rendering solu- Referring to the accompanying drawing forming a part of this specification, the figure is a diagrammatic sectional view of a scrubbing apparatus suitable for use in connection with the carrying out of the process.

In order that the process may be the more clearly understood it is said In many furnacing operations the com bustion, or other gases which of necessity pass through the furnace chamber, carry out of the furnace such a quantity of solid material, that it is impracticable to scrub such gases in the usual tower systems because of the clogging of gas channels by the suspended solids, and therefore, any valuable constituents that may reside in said solids are lost. A notable illustration is found in the manufacture of Portland cc.- ment, in which the kiln, or furnace, exit gases contain commercially important quantities of potash, but these said exit gases are so heavily burdened with suspended particles of solid matter such as clay and lime, that ordinary tower scrubbing cannot be used owing to the well known clogging of the fine gas channels by the solids, that are mechanically, or otherwise carried by these said gases, and said potash is therefore lost.

Accordingly, in the process now to be disclosed, I recover these valuable constituents by using a scrubber, singly or in series, of

an unpacked type, so that the gases pass from the furnace directly into said scrubber and are treated with a spray of water or other solvent, all in such a manner that the potash or other valuable constituent is recovered, as will more fully appear.

In the above drawings, 1 indicates any suitable chamber having a gas inlet 2, adapted to be directly connected to the furnace. 3 represents any suitable exit adapted to lead the gases to another similar unpacked tower or chamber. or to the usual and Well known gas scrubbers, if desired, while 4 represents any suitable stirrer or agitator adapted to keep the mud or slime in suspension so as to subject it to the actiop of the centrifugal pump 5. The agitator 4 is conveniently supported by the shaft 6, carrying the gear 7 meshing with the gear 8, carried by the shaft 9 driven from any suitable source of power not shown. 10 represents any suitable inlet for the mud or slime leading to the centrifugal pump chamber 11, and 12 indicates any suitable conduit leading from said chamber 11 to the spray nozzle 13 located near the top of the chamber 1. 14 represents any suitable outlet for the solvent, or dissolved solids, and 15 any suitable inlet for said solvent.

The chamber 1 being supplied with a suitable quantity of water, or a solvent 16. the gases are led directly from the furnace, or kiln, to the inlet 2, and allowed to pass out through the exit 3. the centrifugal pump in the meantime furnishing a. continuous spray through the nozzle 13 which fills the chamber 1.

As the undissolved particles are forced by the pump through the opposing sprays 17 and 18, the said particles are caught in the space 20. where the opposing actions of the said sprays 17 and 18 cause them to be forced violently against each other, and thus subject the said particles to a grinding ac- 100 tion which further sub-divides them. In practice, it is found that although the said particles may be ordinarily insoluble in the solvent, yet when they are subjected to thls grinding action they will go into solution to 105 may be partly dissolved and partly borne 11d ously circulated back through said nozzle 13. The dissolved portions of the solids as -well as the insoluble portions thereof are drawn off from time to time through the outlet 14. I

The effect of this continuous circulation of the undissolved portions is to very finely grind or divide the same by a process of attrition of itsown particles in the opposing streams 17 and 18 of the nozzle 13 which aids the dissolvin action. Such dissolving action is further alded by the heat contained in the said particles and in the constant stream of fresh gases containing carbon dioxid passing through the chamber 1. This stream of fresh gasgs, of course, aids in further concentrating the dissolved portions of the solids, while it is subjected to the action of the sprays from nozzle 13.

. A specific example of the use of my process may be found in the treatment for the recovery of potash of Portland cement kiln gases carrying flue dust. This potash is carried largely in the form of a basic glass, or in some form insoluble in water, and in order to effect its recovery these gases are treated as above described, using water charged with carbonic acid gas CO as the solvent; whereupon the potassium containing solids are found to have become decomposed and to have yielded the pot ssiu'm in a soluble form. The very fine state of division of the potash bearing solids effected by the opposing sprays 17 and 18 greatly aids in this solution.

Analogous examples are found in the use of solutions of sulfur dioxid, S0 in water, wherein bisulfites are formed, such for example as those of calcium and barium.

In many cases where hydratesare to be recovered, a water spray \will be found sufficient, and in those cases where one unpacked chamber 1 is not sufficient, two or more chambers are employed in series. The liquid or solvent is of course, so chosen as to efl'ect in each case, the removal of the desired product. As the range of solvents is quite wide, generally, one treatment in the chamber 1 will be sufficient to dissolve out the desired compound, and to separate from the gases the other solids which may be removed from said chamber from time to time. V

In fact a number of soluble compounds may be readily recovered from the solids carried by the furnace gases by the process above disclosed, if one employs as a solvent besides water, the weak acid gases such as carbon dioxid CO sulfur dioxid S0 hydrogen sulfid H 8, etc.

It is evident that those skilled in the may vary the details of the process wlthout departing from the spirit thereof and therefore, it is not desired to limit this invention to the above disclosure, except as may be required by the claims.

What I claim is 1. The process of removing a finely d1- vided suspended solid from gases carrying the same, which consists in subjecting such gases to the action of a solvent for said solid in-the form'of a spray; and causing any undissolved portions of said solidto be further and repeatedly circulated by and subjected and facilitating its solution, substantially as described. v

2. The process of removing finely divided solids from gases carrying the same, which consists in subjecting such gases to the action of a solvent for oneof the saidsolids in the form of a spray; causing the undissolve'd solids to be repeatedly circulated by and subjected to a grinding action n opposing streams of said solvent, while fresh streams of said gases are subjected to its action; and drawing off the dissolved and undissolved solids thus separated out from time to time, substantially as described.

I 3. The process of treating gases carrying suspended solids liable to clog ordinary gas scrubbers, which consists in sub ecting said gases while hot to the action of a spray to remove said solids and form a hot slime; circulating said slime repeatedly through sald spray and subjecting it to a grmding actlon in opposing streams of said solvent, while fresh streams of hot gases are passing through said spray; and removing from time to time the slime thus formed, substan- SAMUEL PEACOCK.

Witness T. A. Wrrmmsroon. 

